Sliding sleeve device for joining propellant charge containers and container having such a device

ABSTRACT

A device for joining a first container to a second container, in which a first face of the first container is alignable with a second face of the second container along a longitudinal axis, includes a first narrowed portion, a second narrowed portion and a sleeve. The first narrowed portion is disposed adjacent the first face of the first container. The second narrowed portion is disposed adjacent the second face of the second container. The sleeve is disposed around the first narrowed portion and is shaped to slide parallel to the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position. The sleeve in the second position at least partially covers and threadedly engages a corresponding threaded portion of the second container. As a result, the device permits two containers to be joined securely yet disassembled quickly.

The field of the present invention is that of containers capable ofaccommodating a propellant charge and more particularly that ofcontainers used in the field of large calibre or tank artillery.

In order to adjust the range of the round, it is often necessary tomodify the amount of powder used for firing a projectile.

Modular containers have already been defined that are substantiallycylindrical and made of a combustible material. Their rigidity makessuch containers more easy to use than traditional bags of powder.

In order to reduce the space taken up by ammunition inside armouredvehicles, it may also be necessary to subdivide each round into twoseparate parts, one carrying the main propellant charge and the otherthe projectile and possibly a secondary propellant charge (suchammunition is described for example in patent GB2136929).

In any event one may consider the problem of integrating severalcontainers.

For example it may be valuable to speed up the loading process byintroducing all the containers in a single operation, for example bymeans of an automatic loading system.

It is then essential to integrate the containers together in order togive a degree of rigidity to the assembly.

Moreover it may prove necessary to quickly remove the charge alreadyinserted in the chamber of a gun, and this process is made longer andmore difficult if the entire charge is divided into several parts.

Patent FR9101499 describes a device for connecting containers togetherwhich comprises, first, a sliding sleeve and, secondly, automatic meansof coupling positioned on a front surface of the container.

Such a system is complex and costly to manufacture.

Moreover it may or may not be necessary to link the containers together,according to operational requirements. The means proposed by FR9101499do not allow such a choice to be made, the axial connection in all casesbeing provided by the automatic couplings.

Finally, the means proposed by FR9101499 are awkward to use. Thus forthe sleeve to be able to slide, the radial positioning of the twocontainers must be exact. In fact the means of coupling are activewhatever the relative radial position of the two containers.Consequently it is difficult to position the two containers and then tointegrate them together.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a container that isnot affected by such drawbacks.

The invention therefore proposes a container comprising simple andinexpensive means of integrating it with a second container at one ofits front surfaces.

Such a container can be connected quickly and easily to anothercontainer according to the invention, separation of the containers beingequally easy.

Hence the purpose of the invention is a container intended to beintegrated with a second container at one of its front surfaces, andcomprising a sleeve fitted so as to slide on a first narrowed portion orneck, the said sleeve capable of sliding so as partly to cover a secondnarrowed portion or neck made on the second container, characterised bythe fact that the sleeve carries a thread tapped on a forward end, thesaid thread being intended to engage on a thread integral with thesecond container.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the first neck hasan annular collar upon which bears a shoulder machined on a rear part ofthe sleeve so as to immobilise the containers axially when the sleevecovers the second neck of the second container.

With advantage, the container has an inner sleeve integral with thefirst neck and which carries the annular collar, an inner sleeve uponwhich the sleeve can slide.

The purpose of the invention is also a container intended to beintegrated at one of its front surfaces with another container, the saidcontainer being characterised by the fact that it comprises a secondneck which is threaded, intended to accommodate a tapped and slidingsleeve carried by the other container.

This container advantageously comprises a threaded ring integral withthe second neck.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the containercomprises means ensuring radial positioning with another container.

Thus the means of radial positioning may comprise a tubular extensionintended to fit into a complementary circular slot in another container.

The means of radial positioning may comprise a circular slot intended toaccommodate a complementary tubular extension carried by anothercontainer.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the means of radialpositioning may comprise a recess with the section of a frustum of acone in the centre of the front surface, the said recess being intendedto accommodate a complementary projection carried by another container.

The means of radial positioning may also comprise a projection with thesection of a frustum of a cone placed in the centre of the frontsurface, the said projection being intended to fit into a complementaryrecess on another container.

According to a variant of the invention, the container has a neck ateach end, one of the necks being threaded and the other carrying atapped sliding sleeve.

The different components--sleeve, ring or inner sleeve--will preferablybe made of a plastics material such as high density polyethylene orpolyamide.

The invention will be better understood from a reading of thedescription of specific embodiments, referring to the attached drawingson which:

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-section of two containers according to a firstembodiment of the invention, before they are integrated;

FIG. 2 shows the same two containers after integration;

FIG. 3 shows a partial cross-section of two containers according to asecond embodiment of the invention before they are integrated;

FIG. 4 shows the same two containers after integration;

FIG. 5 shows a modular container according to the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a first container 1a is intended to beintegrated with a second container 1b at its front surface 2a. Thelatter will then be in contact with the front surface 2b of the secondcontainer.

Each container consists of a cylindrical casing 3a, 3b made of acombustible material such as nitrocellulose, cardboard or acardboard/nitrocellulose mixture.

The casings are closed by end plugs 4a, 4b which are also made of acombustible material. The plugs are attached to the casings by glueingat the cylindrical surfaces 5a, 5b.

The containers 1a and 1b are shown here only partially. They areintended to accommodate a propellant charge in granular or stick form(not shown).

Container 1b carries at its other end a projectile (not shown) whichwill be integrated with the casing 2 by a connecting sleeve (similar forexample to the one described in patent FR8712484).

The container 1a carries at its other end a base (not shown) fitted withan ignition tube (see, for example, patent FR9101499 which shows themounting of such a base on the casing).

The plug 4b has a recess 6 with the section of a frustum of a conepositioned in the centre of the front surface 2b.

The plug 4a has a projection 7 with the section of a frustum of a conepositioned in the centre of the front surface 2a.

The conical sections of the recess 6 and the projection 7 arecomplementary and are intended to fit into one another to enablerelative radial positioning of the two containers before they areassembled together.

Axial openings 22a and 22b are made in the front surfaces 2a and 2b ofthe containers. These openings facilitate flame transmission from onecontainer to the other during ignition of the propellant charge. Theyare closed off in a known manner by means of combustible sheets (notshown here).

The end plugs 4a and 4b each have a neck 8a, 8b the maximum diameter ofwhich D1 is less than the outside diameter D2 of the container by about10 mm.

The neck 8a of container 1a (hereunder denoted first neck) carries aninner sleeve 9 attached for example by glueing. This inner sleeve ismade of a plastics material, for example high density polyethylene orpolyamide.

The inner sleeve 9 carries an annular collar 11 on its outer cylindricalsurface 10.

A sleeve 12 is fitted so that it can slide on the inner sleeve 9. Thesleeve 12 is also made of a plastics material such as high densitypolyethylene or polyamide.

It comprises a shoulder 14 on a rear part 13. The sleeve also has atapped thread 16 at its forward end 15.

The diameter of the tapping 16 is greater than the outside diameter ofthe inner sleeve 9, which allows the sleeve to slide on the innersleeve. The shoulder 14 is intended to come up against the collar 11 soas to limit the axial displacement of the sleeve on the inner sleeve.

From the assembly point of view, the sleeve is placed on the innersleeve before the latter is glued on the first neck 8a. By this meansthe sleeve 12 can no longer be separated from the container 1a, whichavoids its being lost and simplifies logistics.

When it is positioned on the inner sleeve 9, the sleeve 12 has anoutside diameter D3 which is less than or equal to that (D2) of thecontainer. Thus the sleeve 12 does not interfere with the loading of thecontainer into the chamber of a gun.

The container 1b carried on its neck 8b (hereunder denoted second neck)a ring 17 attached for example by glueing. This ring is also made of aplastics material for example high density polyethylene or polyamide.

The ring 17 carries a thread 18 which is intended to accommodate thetapping 16 on the sleeve 12.

FIG. 2 shows the two containers 1a and 1b assembled by the sleeve 12.

The containers have been placed in contact with one another at theirfront surfaces 2a, 2b. The recess 6 and the projection 7 then ensurethat the containers are aligned.

The recess and the projection thus constitute means of ensuringsatisfactory relative radial positioning of the two containers.

Once the containers are positioned with respect to one another, thesleeve 12 is slid on to the first neck 8a so as to place it in contactwith the threaded ring 17.

Since the sleeve 12 can slide and rotate freely with respect to theinner sleeve 9, its tapping 16 can easily engage with the thread 18. Itis therefore unnecessary to rotate one container to a particular anglewith respect to the other in order to attach them together by means ofthe sleeve 12.

The sleeve 12 is screwed on the ring 17 until its shoulder 14 comes upagainst the collar 11 of the inner sleeve 9. In this way the collar 11immobilises containers 1a and 1b in an axial direction when the sleevecovers the second neck 8b of the second container.

The dimensions of the sleeve, the inner sleeve and the ring will bedetermined in such a way as to make this axial immobilisation possible.

Thus when the containers are in contact at their front surfaces, itshould be possible to bring the shoulder 14 up against the collar 11after engaging the tapping in the sleeve with the thread of the ring.

For this it is sufficient that the sleeve 12, before reaching the end ofits travel, can be moved longitudinally with respect to the first neck8a through a distance less than or equal to the length of the secondneck 8b on the second container 1b that it is to cover.

In practice the first neck 8a will be given a length twice that of thesecond neck 8b, and the sleeve 12 and its inner sleeve 9 will also begiven a length twice that of the ring 17. The collar 11 will bepositioned in such a way as to allow the sleeve to slide through halfits length.

The constituent material of the sleeve, the inner sleeve and the ringfragments when the propellant charge is ignited under the effect of thegas pressure. In order to facilitate fragmentation zones of weakness maybe provided, for example by local heating or by machining.

The two containers can be easily and quickly separated by unscrewing thesleeve 12 from the ring 17.

The use of plastics materials for making the sleeve, inner sleeve andring makes it possible to design containers that are connected togetherin an extremely rigid manner.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show containers according to a second embodiment of theinvention.

The front surfaces 2a and 2b of these containers are flat and hence donot comprise a recess or projection.

The threaded ring 17 carried by the container 1b comprises a tubularextension 19 the outside diameter of which is less than that of thering.

The inner sleeve 9 comprises at its forward part a facing 20 whichdelimits, together with the first neck 8a, a circular slot 21.

The slot 21 is intended to accommodate the tubular extension 19, andtherefore has a width equal to the thickness of the extension 19.Lead-in chamfers are machined so as to facilitate the insertion of theextension 19 in the slot 21.

FIG. 4 shows the containers of FIG. 3 after assembly.

The slot 21 and the tubular extension 19 constitute means of ensuringsatisfactory relative radial positioning of the two containers. In thisway they fulfil the function which in the previously describedembodiment was fulfilled by the recess and the projection made on thefront surfaces of the containers.

Such an embodiment makes it possible to simplify the manufacture of thecontainers because the front surfaces can be made flat. It also enablesmore rigid radial positioning which facilitates the screwing of thesleeve on the ring.

As a variant it is of course possible to provide a tubular extensionintegral with the inner sleeve 9 and intended to engage in a slotdelimited by a facing on the ring 17.

FIG. 5 shows a container of a modular type according to the invention.This container is made of a combustible material and is intended to beassembled with other containers which are completely identical with itin order to constitute a propellant charge for use in artillery.

The figure shows a half view/half cross-section, the upper part beingsectioned axially and the lower part being shown as an outside view.

It consists of a combustible casing 3, closed at one end by a plug 4awhich has a first neck 8a and at the other end by a plug 4b with asecond neck 8b.

The first neck 8a carries an inner sleeve 9 and a sleeve 12, while thesecond neck 8b carries a ring 17.

The inner sleeve 9 has a facing 20 delimiting a circular slot 21, andthe ring 17 comprises a tubular extension 19.

Clearly it would be possible to define a modular container the frontsurfaces of which comprised radial means of positioning consisting of arecess or a projection.

The combustible casing would then be closed at its ends by plugs 4a, 4bof the type shown in FIG. 1.

In all the embodiments of containers described previously, thecylindrical casing was closed by two combustible plugs having a neck.

As a variant, it will be possible to make at least one plug whollyintegral with the casing as one and the same part. To do this the casingwill be formed in an appropriate mould. In this way the delicateoperation of attaching the plug to the casing by glueing is avoided.

It will be also possible to make plugs of plastics material by formingthem as one and the same part with the ring or the inner sleeve.

As appropriate, the tubular extension will be integral with the plugand/or the circular slot will be made in the plug.

The geometry of these elements will be the same as that describedpreviously: in particular both extension and slot will have their axiscoincident with that of the container.

To define this variant it is sufficient to refer to the figures alreadydescribed and to consider on these figures that plug and ring or plugand inner sleeve constitute one and the same part.

In order to facilitate fragmentation of the plugs made of a plasticsmaterial it is possible to make provision on the latter for zones ofweakness, for example by local heating or by machining.

We claim:
 1. A device for joining a first container to a secondcontainer, a first face of said first container being alignable with asecond face of said second container along a longitudinal axis, saiddevice comprising:a first narrowed portion disposed adjacent said firstface of said first container; a second narrowed portion disposedadjacent said second face of said second container; and a sleevedisposed around said first narrowed portion, said sleeve being shaped toslide substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis from a firstposition to a second position, wherein said sleeve in said secondposition at least partially covers and threadedly engages acorresponding threaded portion of said second container.
 2. The deviceof claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes a shoulder and said firstnarrowed portion includes an annular collar, and wherein said shoulderabuts said annular collar when said sleeve is in said second position tomaintain engagement between said first container and said secondcontainer.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes ashoulder and said first narrowed portion includes an inner sleeveconnected to said first narrowed portion and disposed within saidsleeve, said inner sleeve having an annular collar, and wherein saidshoulder abuts said annular collar when said sleeve is in said secondposition to maintain engagement between said first container and saidsecond container.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said threadedportion of said second container is formed on said second narrowedportion.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said second containerincludes a threaded ring connected to said second narrowed portion. 6.The device of claim 1, further comprising axial alignment means foraligning said first container with said second container along saidlongitudinal axis.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein said axialalignment means includes a tubular extension extending beyond one ofsaid first face and said second face and a slot dimensioned to receivesaid tubular extension disposed in the other of said first face and saidsecond face.
 8. The device of claim 6, wherein said axial alignmentmeans includes a protrusion extending from one of said first face andsaid second face and a recess dimensioned to receive said protrusiondisposed in the other of said first face and said second face.
 9. Thedevice of claim 8, wherein said projection is frustum of a cone thatextends from a center of one of said first face and said second face.10. The device of claim 8, wherein said recess is shaped to receive afrustum of a cone and is disposed in a center of one of said first faceand said second face.
 11. A container joinable to other containers, saidcontainer having an outer surface, a first face and a second facealigned along a longitudinal axis, and a device for joining saidcontainer to said other containers, said device comprising:a firstnarrowed portion disposed adjacent at least one of said first face ofsaid first container and said second face of said second container; asecond narrowed portion disposed adjacent at least the other of saidfirst face of said first container and said second face of said secondcontainer; and a sleeve disposed around said first narrowed portion,said sleeve being shaped to slide substantially parallel to saidlongitudinal axis from a first position to a second position, whereinsaid sleeve in said second position at least partially covers andthreadedly engages a corresponding threaded portion of said secondcontainer.
 12. The container of claim 11, wherein said sleeve includes ashoulder and said first narrowed portion includes an annular collar, andwherein said shoulder abuts said annular collar when said sleeve is insaid second position to maintain engagement between said first containerand said second container.
 13. The container of claim 11, wherein saidsleeve includes a shoulder and said first narrowed portion includes aninner sleeve connected to said first narrowed portion and disposedwithin said sleeve, said inner sleeve having an annular collar, andwherein said shoulder abuts said annular collar when said sleeve is insaid second position to maintain engagement between said first containerand said second container.
 14. The container of claim 11, wherein saidthreaded portion of said second container is formed in said secondnarrowed portion.
 15. The container of claim 11, wherein said secondcontainer includes a threaded ring connected to said second narrowedportion.
 16. The container of claim 11, further comprising axialalignment means for aligning said first container with said secondcontainer along said longitudinal axis.
 17. The container of claim 16,wherein said axial alignment means includes a tubular-extensionextending beyond one of said first face and said second face and a slotdimensioned to receive said tubular extension disposed in the other ofsaid first face and said second face.
 18. The container of claim 16,wherein said axial alignment means includes a protrusion extending fromone of said first face and said second face and a recess dimensioned toreceive said protrusion disposed in the other of said first face andsaid second face.
 19. The container of claim 18, wherein said projectionis a frustum of a cone that extends from a center of one of said firstface and said second face, and wherein said recess is shaped to receivea frustum of a cone and is disposed in a center of the other of saidfirst face and said second face.
 20. The container of claim 11, whereinsaid container includes a first narrowed portion disposed adjacent saidfirst face and a second narrowed portion disposed adjacent said secondface.